Bus bash big hit at Rochester Fair

Sunday

Sep 23, 2012 at 3:15 AMSep 23, 2012 at 1:06 PM

By Samantha Allen sallen@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — Back by popular demand, the school bus demolition derby was in full swing Saturday night as thousands sat in the grandstand at the Rochester Fair in awe of what seemingly innocuous 66-seat yellow school buses could really do.

Rochester Fair General Manager Mark Perry said last weekend was the first time his team featured such a stunning display, with buses crashing into each other, but after turning so many people away when tickets sold out, he knew he would have to bring it back for another weekend.

"We just had an overflow crowd, and I said, 'You know? Let's try to do it next weekend,'" Perry said. "We actually found it to be quite the struggle, to locate these buses."

While last weekend's seven buses were ordered at about $6,000 each, having just recently been pulled out of a Boston-based school district, Perry said he scrambled to acquire nine more in the last few days, for a little more than six grand. But with some yellow beasts arriving from Massachusetts and New Jersey, he knew the game was on.

"They're road-worthy," he added, noting the buses were in full working condition, and actually driven to New Hampshire for the display.

As vehicles slammed and popped into each other, one Rochester Fire Department employee said he couldn't be distracted as sparks flew. He said was particularly concerned about one engine that appeared to be smoking as he watched for safety failures.

Those who couldn't get inside crowded the arena. Officials kept them at a safe distance, "in case a bus rolled," one said. But with hundreds cheering and screaming, some even gasping in shock with each "crunch" and "bang," the affair seemed to go over smoothly for the second time.

"It's mindless entertainment but it's just so fun," Perry said with a laugh. "You look at it with a light heart and say, 'Oh boy, we're going to watch things get smashed.' The little ones like it. The parents like it. The old folks like it. I think it particularly appeals to anybody who's ever been frustrated at driving a school bus ... It kind of appeals to them to know first-hand what it's like to drive those big monsters off a cliff."

As yellow siding hung off the rear of one recently "smashed" vehicle, Max Chase, of Freemont, said he loved the "crunch" sound.

"We were just coming to enjoy the fair," he added, motioning to Marie Brovencher, also of Freemont, who added, she never thought she'd see something like this in her life.

But 6-year-old Ryley Hamilton, of Sanborn, Maine, said she was a little frightened. Her grandmother, Michelle Boguzewski, brought her back to the fair after they were turned away from the school bus derby last weekend.

"It's just something different," Boguzewski said with a laugh, as Hamilton squeezed her and looked on the arena as many shouted at one particularly loud collision.

Melissa Boulanger of Hillsborough was accompanied by her 6-year-old granddaughter Airyanna, who was rather cheering as drivers smashed into one another. The winner of the evening was the driver of a white bus, identified by spray paint on the side of his vehicle as "Lil'Mark," and waved to spectators in the crowd, sometimes asking for help finding buses coming at him in his blind spot.

Airyanna was shouting out "get him!" as her grandmother looked on and laughed.

"We really liked the fair because we got to see the tractor pull and the animals," Boulanger said.

But she said her grandchild was really into the destruction, too.

Perry said he is happy to play to his audience at the fair.

"We do some silly things..." he said. "That's what people that come through the gate are requesting, and you play to the audience. The audience in Rochester likes to be entertained ... It's probably the dumbest thing you could do is watch a car being demolished, and even dumber to see a school bus, but at least something in us all that wants to see it. That's maybe why people go to things like fairs and get on carnival rides and all like that ... it's just a break from the every day."

Perry added the regular demolition derby is Rochester's signature "goodbye to the fair," and will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon as the Rochester Fair closes on that day as well.